Irish Traditions

The Claddagh wedding tradition originates from the tale about a man in ancient Galway. He was soon to become wed and was taken prisoner by roving sailors and forced into labor in a foreign land. During that time he taught himself the art of jewelry-making. Upon his return to his homeland, he found his maiden had never married, and in his happiness, he fashioned the now famous Claddagh wedding band. The rings depicts a heart, held by two hands with a crown over it. Many "lassies" now wear the Claddagh ring, but only those that are wed wear it with the hands facing inward.

There are many dances at an Irish wedding, but one of the more notable is the "janting char" where the groom is carried in a chair to present him to the guests. An old Irish tradition calls for the couple getting married to walk together to the church together, to exchange their wedding vows. As they walked down the main street, to the chapel, onlookers would not only throw rice to bless the marriage, but larger items as well, such as pots and pans.

The traditional Irish bride might wear a blue wedding dress on her wedding day, believing blue to be a lucky color. English lavender, an herb, is often mixed with her wedding flower. It is traditional for the bride to braid her hair, as this is considered a sacred way to keep feminine power and luck. St. Patrick's Day is considered one of the luckiest wedding anniversary dates in Ireland.

The Irish translation for "honeymoon" is mi na meala, which means the month of honey. It was an Irish custom for the newlyweds to spend a month together drinking honeyed wine, secluded, in case their families tried to separate them - especially if they had eloped.

source: World Wedding Traditions